Sept. 30 Letters to the Editor

As a voter, I’m tired of the negative television gubernatorial campaign advertisements now being aired by the Democrats. This is old campaign tactics and needs to stop.

Paul LePage’s name is mentioned more in the ads than their own candidate, with the exception of Libby Mitchell’s finger-pointing, claiming LePage’s plans for Maine are wrong, without offering any ideas of her own.

The candidates need to stick to the issues. Provide the voters with an outline of their plans, and forget the old dirty tricks politics.

Bruce Hill

Newport

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Sen. Schneider is there

What has impressed me the most about Sen. Elizabeth Schneider is that she works so hard, listens, helps and seems to be everyplace.

I first got to know her at Eagle Scout ceremonies here in Howland and Enfield. Even though she is very busy, she always makes a point to do her best to attend these events. I asked her once how she does it, manages to be so many places, and she just told me she works a lot and does what she can to be part of the community be-cause she cares and wants to participate.

Whatever the occasion is, from joyous to difficult, celebrating achievement or remembering our time of loss, and from the big things like fighting for our schools or local hospital when she is in Augusta to the simple ones just showing up to say thank you for helping out, Sen. Elizabeth Schneider is there.

She has my support for her re-election because it matters that she shows up, is totally reachable, responsive and gets the job done. We know regardless of the party we are signed up with, Elizabeth goes to bat for everyone. I will be voting for her and I hope everyone will vote for her, too.

Angela Helms

Howland

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Invest in public land

The most important hike Mainers can take this year is to the voting booth. This November we have a chance to help conserve our natural resources by voting to fund the Land for Maine’s Future program.

For more than two decades, this program has enhanced the state’s long-term economic health by conserving vital assets: our forests and waterfronts and key tourism and recreation sites all across Maine. At the same time it has preserved wildlife habitat, guaranteed public access to lakes, rivers and the ocean and provided places for Maine people to hike, hunt, fish, camp and paddle.

As Theodore Roosevelt said, “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.” This November vote yes on Question 3.

Jeremy Sheaffer

The Wilderness

Society

Hallowell

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Mitchell and values

President John Kennedy once observed that “values lie at the very heart of governing.” Not interests, not ideology, not even principles — but values.

Values are the things we hold most dear, that we cherish and are willing to defend, with our lives if needed; so that when the pressure is on and the issues come at us “like water from a fire hose,” we know where to turn for decisions that are true to ourselves and to those who brought us here.

We know just what Libby Mitchell’s values are, values learned during long hours working in her family’s grocery store, on the neighbor’s farm, in school and college, and here in Maine. They include hard work, patriotism, dignity for the individual, support for the less fortunate and the voiceless and opportunity for all.

An opponent repeatedly charged that Libby and her values are “extremist.” I have known Libby for almost 40 years — our children grew up together — and watched her unceasing efforts to build a stronger and better Maine. If it is “extreme” to advance the causes of our children, to defend the interests of middle-class working people, to fight for good jobs and a clean environment, to extend constitutional rights to all our residents, and to lead efforts to reach principled compromise with the other party — as she did with the recent state budget and bond issues in Augusta — then Libby Mitchell is guilty as charged.

Richard Barringer

Portland

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Hope loses to fear

It was interesting to see gubernatorial candidate Libby Mitchell in her primary victory speech say she would wage a campaign of hope and not fear.

After Labor Day, some campaign ads appeared on television that one would certainly call fear ads. Oh well, I figured she was letting her surrogates take the low road.

Now the candidate herself is front and center pushing the fear factor. Apparently, hope died a quick death never to be heard from again. Candidate Mitchell certainly seems to be able to make a quick campaign decision. Too bad she couldn’t make the same kind of decisions when it came to legislative spending.

David Hastings

Bangor

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Memories of Bud

What a wonderful pleasure it was for me to read the “Best of Bud Leavitt” column. What precious memories it brought back. Bud’s desk at the BDN was about 20 feet from my desk, and the stories that can be told are unmeasurable.

One knew (almost) from the time Bud drove into the parking lot that he was there. We could hear him first when he strode through the main business office to pick up his mail and board the elevator to the second floor where our desks were.

His stories, jokes and laughter were heard throughout the building. His phone calls were sometimes like a giant thunderstorm passing over. His voice was overpowering to whomever he was speaking and in those days, the mode of three-way conversations had not surfaced and was hardly necessary when Bud was on the phone. He was fun and alive.

He had nicknames for most everyone; mine was “Hampden Lady,” and when I heard that roaring across the desks I knew it meant that Bud wanted or needed something.

Rarely did Bud have “spare” change for a cup of coffee that was brewed downstairs and with his thunderous voice he would say “Hey, Hampden Lady, how about a cup of the black stuff?”

Thanks for bringing some of his columns back. It sure is pleasant reading for me, and I’m sure, many other readers. It sure did make the day for this 78-year old “Hampden Lady.”